This thesis examines the competition between the nominal suffixes -ity and -ness in Late Modern English (LModE) from 1710 to 1920. By replicating the methodology of Rodríguez-Puente et al. (2022),...Show moreThis thesis examines the competition between the nominal suffixes -ity and -ness in Late Modern English (LModE) from 1710 to 1920. By replicating the methodology of Rodríguez-Puente et al. (2022), the study measures the diachronic productivity of both suffixes across different registers using corpus linguistic methods. The study utilises the Corpus of Late Modern English Texts (CLMET) and the Old Bailey Corpus (OBC) to calculate the proportion of -ity types out of all -ity and -ness types. The results indicate a stabilisation of -ity type proportions during the LModE period and show significant register effects on the diversity of suffix use. The findings suggest that the situational and linguistic contexts of different registers play a crucial role in shaping the competition and productivity of suffixes. This study further highlights the dynamic interplay of linguistic and sociolinguistic factors.Show less
Through a comparative literature analysis of medieval Arthurian texts and the BBC's Merlin, the following research explores Middle English moral values and Arthurian literary conventions to find...Show moreThrough a comparative literature analysis of medieval Arthurian texts and the BBC's Merlin, the following research explores Middle English moral values and Arthurian literary conventions to find out how these conventions have been translated into modern popular culture and to see what a 21st-century audience finds important in a historical retelling, with an emphasis on the characterization of the main characters and the portrayal of female roles.Show less
This thesis conducts a comparison between Aesop's original of the fable "The Cock and the Jasp", and Henryson's changed version as recorded in his Middle Scottish fable collection "The Morall...Show moreThis thesis conducts a comparison between Aesop's original of the fable "The Cock and the Jasp", and Henryson's changed version as recorded in his Middle Scottish fable collection "The Morall Fabillis of Esope the Phrygian. This comparison shows how Henryson has added multiple details to the original narrative of the fable. It is argued that these additions cause a shift in the target audience of the fable's moral, and that some details are added to justify the behaviour of lower classes, while others are implemented to further incriminate members of higher classes. This thesis ultimately argues that the criticism of this fable is mainly directed to the higher estates.Show less
Eighteenth-century letter-writing was an art governed by many rules, but letter-writers still found the freedom to express their personality and indicate their position within the confines of these...Show moreEighteenth-century letter-writing was an art governed by many rules, but letter-writers still found the freedom to express their personality and indicate their position within the confines of these rules. Using methodology based on the works of Tieken-Boon van Ostade (2009), Nevala (2009), Sairio (2013), among others, this thesis examines the use of referential language in letters written by Francis Napier (1758–1823) to Mary Hamilton (1756–1816) in order to study how this language is used to fashion an identity and signal the relationship between the correspondents. The analysis separates formulaic language, such as opening and closing formulas, from other forms of referential language, such as pronoun usage, nominal references, and intertextual references.Show less
This thesis is about how Easterners are represented in the Middle East in Old English texts, and what that reveals about how Anglo-Saxons may have perceived the Middle East.
No matter if one intends to study the Marvel, Star Wars, DC Extended Universe franchise, or medieval and gothic literature, one will find that there is one fundamental element that incites the...Show moreNo matter if one intends to study the Marvel, Star Wars, DC Extended Universe franchise, or medieval and gothic literature, one will find that there is one fundamental element that incites the expected tension present within all of those works: the presence of both a monster and its opponent, the hero, whose interaction serves as the baseline for the plot. In this thesis, the dynamics between the presumed monsters and heroes within two of England’s greatest literary works, Beowulf (Anonymous, ca. 8th-11th century) and Frankenstein (Mary Shelley, 1818), are explored from a number of angles. The objective of this analysis is to comprehend the dynamic between opponent and monster by exploring the notions of monstrosity, heroism, and, ultimately, the relation of both to theology. As Beowulf and Frankenstein were produced in distinct time periods, both works convey and exhibit specific cultural components with respect to these notions. Beowulf, as an Early Medieval text, is a primary example of a heroic epic poem, and is the product of a culture in which Christianity began to manifest itself as a predominant theology in traditional Anglo-Saxon society. Frankenstein, first published in 1818, is written in a tumultuous period with respect to religion and science, as the two seem to be competing in a race for credibility and moral acceptance. Comparing the two works with one another illustrates the gradual difference between the Early Medieval culture and the Late Modern English culture of the 19th century with respect to the ideologies and concerns regarding monstrosity, heroism, morality, and theology. Such a contrastive analysis of both works, to my awareness, has not been made to date. First, the theoretical framework and the historical context of both works are discussed in chapter one. Subsequently, Frankenstein is analyzed in chapter two and Beowulf in chapter three. Finally, these findings are combined and re-evaluated in order to return with a final answer to the initial question that is central within this thesis: to what extent do the dynamics between monster and hero in both Beowulf and Frankenstein reflect the contemporary concerns and ideologies regarding monstrosity, heroism, and theology?Show less
There is little doubt that the dual form in Old English had a secondary function aside from referring to two people. This paper rejects the claim that this secondary function is to imply a familial...Show moreThere is little doubt that the dual form in Old English had a secondary function aside from referring to two people. This paper rejects the claim that this secondary function is to imply a familial or intimate bond between the two referents and asserts instead that the dual functioned to limit the number of referents to prevent confusion. This assertion is given credit by the fact that not all incidences of dual pronouns in Old English gloss, verse, and prose imply such familial or intimate bonds. Old English is in an uncommon position in the Indo-European family tree, because only first and second person pronouns may be duals, but the two referents of the pronoun are permitted to be different sexes and the form is not mandatory when speaking of two people. All of these aspects cause people in intimate relationships to be more common referents for dual pronouns, even if these relations do not cause the dual pronouns to happen.Show less
During the Early Modern English period, spelling varied a lot, even per person. To reduce linguistic variation such as this, many spelling and grammar manuals were published during that time, in...Show moreDuring the Early Modern English period, spelling varied a lot, even per person. To reduce linguistic variation such as this, many spelling and grammar manuals were published during that time, in order to achieve a set spelling system. Many people at the start of the EModE period did not know how to write "correctly" so when they wrote letters, it usually reflected their speech. However, as the period progressed, more and more people learned how to read and write, and spelling was slowly being regularised. My aim in this thesis is to find out if these individuals used the spelling practices laid out in the spelling and grammar manuals; particularly, if they used these practices in private correspondence. These types of letters are prone to linguistic variation since the authors are not forced to use correct spelling practices.Show less
It has often been observed that ancient heroes suffer both acclaim and tragedy. This is true of both Beowulf and Gilgamesh, two heroes who gain much in their journeys, but ultimately lose far more...Show moreIt has often been observed that ancient heroes suffer both acclaim and tragedy. This is true of both Beowulf and Gilgamesh, two heroes who gain much in their journeys, but ultimately lose far more despite their epic feats; in the case of Beowulf, the kingdom he built and in the case Gilgamesh, his greatest friend, Enkidu. These tragedies are seen as inevitabilities and thus put to question the purpose of heroics (see Greenfield 1962 and Wolf 1969). Both have often had their heroism examined individually, but rarely together, especially in light of newer translations and editions (see Stark 1966). In my thesis, I will analyze the relevant themes of both heroic tales. I will compare and contrast the themes of gain and loss and discern the reason each hero is considered heroic within the context of their own tale and where these forms of heroism meet and diverge.Show less
